Patriots, Texans powered by unwanted backs

The Patriots and Houston Texans will have something in common other than their exemplary records, status as division leaders and elevated postseason ambitions when they meet tonight in Foxboro.

Both teams have productive ground games that are powered by players who were drafted no higher than the second round, and many of whom were unwanted when they were eligible for selection by the NFL.

The Patriots have sophomores Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen, who were taken 17 picks apart in the second round in 2011. But fifth-year pro Danny Woodhead and rookie Brandon Bolden, assuming he's activated after serving his four-game suspension, both went undrafted.

The Texans counter with fourth-year pro Arian Foster, who was bypassed by 32 teams making a total of 256 picks in 2009; rookie Jonathan Grimes, who got the same draft treatment in April; Justin Forsett, a seventh-round selection by Seattle in 2008 whom Houston signed in the offseason; and Ben Tate, a second-rounder of the Texans in '09.

So four of the eight backs on these AFC heavyweight rosters went undrafted and another lasted until the seventh and final round.

“We've been fortunate with Arian and we did draft Ben kind of high, but I just think historically here, especially over the last maybe 10 years, there have been some hidden gems in the draft at the running back position,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said.

Foster, who had been graded at a second-round level as a junior, fell out of favor with pro personnel people after a subpar and injury-plagued senior season at Tennessee, where he had been a teammate of Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo. All he's done is rush for 1,000-plus yards for three consecutive seasons, including a league-leading 1,616 in 2010, when he earned the first of his two All-Pro selections.

“He's been a guy that's been our workhorse,” quarterback Matt Schaub said. “We've given him the ball quite a bit this year, especially in the beginning part of the season, and when we've had leads in the fourth quarter we just are using the clock and running the football. He's touched the ball quite a bit.

“He just seems to always be patient and find the holes and work well with our offensive line. When we get in the red zone, he has a knack for finding the end zone.”

Foster leads the league with 283 carries and 13 rushing touchdowns and is fifth with 1,102 rushing yards. Forsett and Tate have also been productive, averaging 6.2 and 4.3 yards a carry, respectively.

All told, the Texans rank sixth in rushing. The Patriots are eighth in team rushing and Ridley (1,010 yards) is eighth individually.

The Patriots are first with 19 rushing touchdowns. The Texans are second with 16.

“Just think about them, they've had a few different backs back there,” Kubiak said. “It's what they do. It's almost like anybody they put back there is successful.”

It wasn't that long ago running back was nearly on par with quarterback when it came to positional prestige. Not so much anymore.

The NFL is first and foremost a passing league now, which means the spotlight not only shines on quarterbacks, but also the left tackles, receivers and cornerbacks, who are the other integral and interconnected pieces of the aerial game. Same goes for the colleges.

Running backs have taken a backfield backseat in the process.

The byproduct of that is they've become players with good value come the draft. You can get high-end talent in pretty much any round and many of the players who aren't picked have legitimate pro potential.

“I do think the college game is a little different nowadays — a lot of spread, a lot of throwing,” Kubiak said of the offensive approach employed by the NFL's unaffiliated feeder system. “I think there are some dang good backs out there that are very, very talented (who) may fit a little better sometimes coming to our league. You have to go find them.”